Boca Grande or Siesta Key?
 

I'm trying to decide where to go next February. I have been to Siesta Key and love the beach, but the area seems busy and crowded. Have not been to Boca Grande, but I heard it's quiet and less crowded. Is that really the case, or is Boca Grande also very busy in February? I'm assuming the beach is not as nice as Siesta Key, but if the island is quiet it would be worth the sacrifice. Any opinions appreciated. Thanks!

I visited Boca Grande almost yearly for a while, when my parents had a condo there. It was, and still is as far as I can tell, a quiet place and never was tremendously crowded. Partly because there's not a huge amount happening on the island, and partly because you have a pay a fee to cross the bridge onto the island.

I can't compare it to Siesta Key, because I haven't been there, but I loved visiting Boca Grande. None of my family are sit-on-the-beach people, but I did some of that, as well as many walks on the beach, biking on the bike path, kayaking through the canals and watching birds and looking for manatees.

Not a huge amount of restaurants, but enough to have variety.

It is not a place to visit if you need constant stimulation. From your views on Siesta Key, I think it might be for you.

We are in our 60s and do not need constant stimulation. We just like to walk the beach, enjoy sunsets and have a nice meal at the end of the day. What I like about Siesta Key is the beach itself, which is quite beautiful.

Boca Grande is VERY quiet, for sure, and there also isn't a lot to the "town", if it can even be called that. Last time we were there there were only a tiny handful of places to eat, so if you enjoy dining out nightly, it is not for you. If you plan to stay mostly at the condo for dining and are not interested in participating in other things the Sarasota area has to offer, it could very well be perfect for you.

There may not even be a supermarket on Boca Grande. I remember a grocery but don't remember a supermarket, though it has been some time.

I have been there twice, once on a sailboat, once over the bridge. It is a fantastic area for sailing, and I think George HW Bush used to go there for tarpon fishing.

Thanks for the replies. I'm leaning towards a place called Sea Oats in Boca Grande. Maybe it would be nice to rent bikes to get around the island.

We rented a condo at Sea Oats the year it was built (quite a long time ago); that stay was what persuaded my parents to buy a condo on the island. It's a nice place, but a bit far out of town, as I recall, in terms of biking / walking into town, if you want to do that. Yes, there's a small grocery store on the island, Hudson's Grocery. You'll want to stock up on groceries before you get to your condo on the island.

Yes, do rent bikes! There's a place right in the middle of town that I remember, though I bet there are others. Depending on when you will be visiting, you might want to reserve bikes for yourselves. (People also rent golf carts and use them to get around on the island.)

One place we loved to eat at, any time of day, was South Beach, just a little casual place. It's at the south end of the island, not too far from the Lighthouse (worth a visit). Right on the beach; we could walk from our condo (Sea Grapes, a different location south of town), or bike. They used to make killer onion rings, but we visited last year, and new management, they don't make the same kind of onion rings. But the views are fantastic.

The restaurant at the Marina has been up and down, but it's fun to eat there and watch the boats.

Enjoy!

xxxx